OFC: Having won their opening games of the OFC U-16 Championship by considerable margins, when Solomon Islands meet New Zealand this afternoon it could well be the encounter that decides the standings in Group A.

Meanwhile Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu are going in search of their first points after both sides lost their opening matches of the competition.

For Papua New Guinea a slow start cost them against the host who scored three first half goals while their visitors tried unsuccessfully to stem the flow.

While Anthony Pakakota's side improved for the second half, they still managed to concede twice more forcing the coach to think long and hard about his defensive strategy going forward.

"Definitely we need to continue to do more work on our ball recovery and defence. It was one area where we lacked and Solomons was able to quickly play balls forward and switch us from one side to the other side," Pakakota said.

"We were too slow to recover.

"These are very young boys, some of them 15 and under and it's their very first time to play at this level. We just have to go back and work hard on our defensive recovery."

For Vanuatu, conceding eight goals certainly wasn't the outcome they had expected despite taking on the defending champions New Zealand.

The side struggled to keep up with the organised waves of attacks from the Kiwis who played the majority of the match at a high pace and intensity, helped in part by the cooler conditions than expected.

The slippery surface didn't help the Vanuatu cause either, as the technical, ground-based football they are accustomed too wasn't able to be employed to the degree that would have liked.

Although disappointed the first loss was such a heavy one, coach Joel Rarua is confident the side will lift their spirits, and their performance, against Papua New Guinea.

"The team is doing better since the defeat to New Zealand," he said.

"We've been working on reorganising ourselves and adjusting the team and worked on what we didn't do in the first match so I believe it will be better for us and we're looking forward to the game against Papua New Guinea."

As for their opponents, Rarua believes he has done the required analysis to compete well against them.

"We watched their first game and I've seen their strengths and how I can organise my team. I think we can do well against them, the boys are ready for them."

The day's second encounter will be a big one with Solomon Islands taking on the defending champions New Zealand in a match which will likely decide the top spot in the Group A standings.

After registering big wins in their opening games both sides will be keen to gain an advantage over the other in this encounter.

While New Zealand are generally considered favourites given their record in this competition, the Solomon Islands can't be ruled out.

Stanley Waita has been working hard with his squad over the past four to five months and the cohesiveness and intuitiveness that comes with spending that amount of time together was evident in that opening encounter.

However they're well aware that getting points off New Zealand will take a different approach.

"We know to expect a difficult match against New Zealand," Waita said.

"I don't know much about the New Zealand team but as we all know, they're the powerhouse in Oceania.

"My boys will be prepared to take on the junior All Whites, especially playing in front of our home fans.

"We'll work on what we can do to play against New Zealand but we are on for it."

For New Zealand, every game is a tough one even with the perennial favourites tag according to coach José Figueira.

And despite a big win in their opener, plus the addition of the remaining members of their squad, Figueira knows to be weary of the unpredictable Solomon Islands style.

"It's been a great start for us and I think the boys after coming in and playing in their debut, showed some real qualities," Figueira said of his charges.

"They saw half of the Solomons opening game, they've seen the big crowd and their opposition so I think that's motivation for them to play the second game like they did the first.

Figueira believes catching part of the Solomon Islands' match against Papua New Guinea can only prove beneficial as it gives some insight into their opponent.

"I think it's always good to be able to watch who you're going to play next and we're going to see a team that's really aggressive and skilful and wanting to attack and quickly," he said.

"For us we'll try to replicate the first game; control the tempo, play at our speed and try to be organised with the ball to deny them those moments that they looked really dangerous in during their first match."

SUVA, (FBC SPORTS) - The Fiji Broadcasting Corporation has added another feather to its cap, with the announcement of Fiji’s first ever free 24-hour sports channel.

FBC Chief Executive, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the plan to bring a dedicated channel on their platform has been long overdue.

“There is huge demand for it. We took a huge risk when we put the English Premier League on free to air television a few year ago. Some people told us we were stupid because there was money to be made if only on pay TV through content such as EPL but we decided we going to stick our necks out and give something to the people of Fiji that had never been made available to them before.”

FBC Sports gets activated from 6pm on Friday and will replace the FBC Plus channel and will be only available via the Walesi platform.

OFC: A clinical performance from Team Wellington saw them run to a 7-1 victory over Samoan club champions in the opening Group D match at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara yesterday afternoon while hosts Marist were once again held to a 1-1 draw, this time by AS Magenta.

After struggling to find their composure in front of goal against the home side Marist in their opening OFC Champions League match, Team Wellington had no such trouble this afternoon as Taylor Schrijvers nailed the opening goal within the first two minutes of the match.

It set the tone for a Team Wellington goal-fest as the side’s Guernsey FC recruit Ross Allen found his form to net twice in the first half. His hat-trick came on the 68th minute, at which point it was time for a breather as coach Jose Figuiera brought Daniel Mulholland on.

The 20-year-old Jack-Henry Sinclair scored a tidy goal at the end of the first half, with substitutes Mulholland and Nathaneael Hailemariam rounding out the scoring.

Lupe weren’t without their own chances, with a couple of efforts putting the backline and goalkeeper Scott Basalaj to the test. However it required a second half penalty for the Samoans to get on the board, with Lapalapa Toni stepping up and sending Basalaj one way as he slotted in the other side.

Figuiera said it was a good outing for his side, especially after the opening result.

“I’m really happy, it’s important after the first game to bounce back and get the three points,” Figuiera said.

“I was delighted with the way the boys went about it. Scoring seven and controlling the game is one thing at home, but doing it here in near 40 degrees is spectacular from the boys so I’m really proud.”

Lupe Ole Soaga coach Paul Ualesi said his team were beaten by a better side this afternoon.

“First of all congratulations to Team Wellington for the game. I know some were outside, we played a lot of silly mistakes and there were a lot of goals.

“It was a good challenge and a first time against a New Zealand team. I think next time we will come after them, we will fight again.”

In the late match both Marist and Magenta were expecting improved performances with Marist after their first win, and Magenta hoping to continue their winning run.

That meant fans were in for a treat with some fast-paced back-and-forth football to keep them entertained from very early on.

Marist defender made a couple of daring runs forward against Team Wellington, but had been apprehensive about advancing too far given the opponents ability to counter-attack. While he remained reserved in his approach, when the opportunity to push forward for a corner came up he took it.

The decision paid off as his height advantage allowed him to get above the defence and nail a header past Magenta goalkeeper Mickael Ulile in the fifth minute.

Magenta hit back six minutes later when Joseph Athale nailed a volley from the top of the penalty area for the equaliser.

Despite numerous chances for both teams the deadlock couldn’t be broken forcing the two to take a share of the points.

For both coaches it was a frustrating outing.

“We started well, we scored early and I though we would be good

but we gave it away and they scored,” Marist’s Jerry Allen said.

“It was really tough for us today but we still have a chance in our final game.”

It was a similar feeling for Alain Moizan who would have liked to take the full complement home from Lawson Tama yesterday.

“We have the impression that we’ve lost two points,” he said.

“Overall it was a close match and probably with better control from us we could have won. It’s football, you need to be effectual in front of the goal and once again today, we weren’t.”

Friday is the final day for Group D with Team Wellington playing AS Magenta in the opening match at 1pm. Lupe Ole Soaga will meet Marist in the last game of the group at 4pm.

SOLOMON Islands international exports Micah Lea’alafa and Benjamin Totori have scored a goal each, in the opening games of their clubs, at the Trusts Arena, Auckland, Sunday.

Auckland City FC began their OFC Champions League title defence in ominous form with a 7-0 thumping of AS Venus on Sunday at Trusts Arena while Fiji’s Lautoka FC joined them as match day one winners with a 3-1 victory over Papua New Guinea’s Madang FC.

The title holder was in dominant form from start to finish controlling the possession in typical fashion and starving the Tahitian representatives any sort of foothold in the match.

Micah Lea’alafa joins Reid Drake, Callum McCowatt and debutant Dalton Wilkins, plus a hat trick from Emiliano Tade to register the first three points for the hosts.

Young Lea’alafa also assisted in Reid Drake’s third for Auckland, from a cheeky back-heel drive.

Totori scored the opening goal for his Fiji Club, Lautoka FC in the 21st minute. This has extended his tally as the competition’s all-time top scorer with his 23rd goal.

OFC: Sitting on 24 points, Argentina remain in fifth position and lined up to face New Zealand in the Intercontinental Play-off after two neck-and-neck clashes in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ South America qualifiers.

A win against Uruguay last week could have been Argentina’s break into the top four but the high-rivalry clash ended in a scoreless stalemate. After an impressive 2-0 win over Paraguay yesterday, Uruguay now sit in second place with 27 points.

A 1-1 draw against Venezuela – who are out of contention for qualification and sit at the bottom of the ladder on eight points- brought even more disappointment to Argentina yesterday but the one point was just enough to hold their place in the top five.

Despite their placing, Venezuela have proven a more and more competitive team throughout the competition, securing a 0-0 draw with Columbia – who currently sit in third place on 26 points – last week and causing upsets for the remaining contenders.

Columbia have bounced back from their draw to Venezuela, however, holding out front-runners Brazil to a 1-1 draw yesterday. Brazil have already claimed 37 points and the first World Cup berth for South America.

Although the single point was not enough to keep their lead over Uruguay, Columbia still hold a two-point lead over Peru, who moved into fourth position with 24 points after defeating Ecuador 2-1.

Peru’s win knocked Chile – who lost 1-0 to eighth-placed Bolivia – out of the qualification zone and down to sixth place, one point behind Argentina.

With six points separating the six remaining contenders, the four qualifying nations and the team meeting New Zealand in the two-legged Intercontinental Play-Off will come down to the last round of CONMEBOL qualification on 5 and 10 October.

OFC: New Zealand will continue their 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifier journey after coming up trumps in the home-and-away OFC Stage 3 Final, despite being held to a 2-2 draw by Solomon Islands in yesterday’s afternoon’s second leg at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara.

New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson expected a tough encounter on the return and was very pleased his side held of a determined Solomon Islands to make it through Stage 3 unbeaten.

“It was a difficult day today. We knew that making a lot of changes and I think we had five changes in there in what was already a very light squad,” Hudson said.

“Overall I’m proud of the team.”

With a changed side including some players trying out different roles, New Zealand pushed from the outset but the majority of their chances were held off by the Solomon Islands back-line.

However it took the All Whites just 14 minutes to break the defence down. An opening shot came ricocheting off the upright, the follow-up was pushed away by Solomon Islands goalkeeper Philip Mango but a persistent Myer Bevan made sure to nail his chance putting away his first goal as an All White.

The Bonitos hit back quickly with Benjamin Totori smashing a shot on target but Stefan Marinovic was in-form as he tipped the ball over the cross-bar at full stretch.

The bad luck the Solomon Islands picked up in Auckland seemed to follow them to Honiara when a ball from Kosta Barabarouses out wide was headed into the Solomon Islands net by defender Haddis Aengari.

An unrelenting Solomon Islands side kept the pressure on their opponents and it paid off when a threatening advance on goal saw Micah Lea’alafa brought down in the penalty area.

The dual-international fired past Marinovic to put his side on the board and back in the game.

A shot in the 35th minute came ricocheting off the post to a waiting Storm Roux who looked to finish but the flag was up in what was an otherwise close call for the Solomon Islanders.

At the other end of the field the age-less Henry Fa’arodo aimed at the top corner forcing an impressive save from Marinovic who just managed to tip the powerful effort over the cross bar.

Going into the second half the Solomon Islands continued to apply pressure and although their opponents made some decent runs forward it was the Bonitos who looked like the more dangerous side.

Substitute James Naka was impressive from the moment he stepped on the park and that showed when he was taken down in the penalty area as he raced at goal, leading the referee to point to the penalty spot for the second time in the match.

Captain Henry Fa’arodo sent the keeper the wrong way as he smashed the ball in for his second goal across the two legs.

Despite some creative attacks from the Solomon Islands as they pushed hard for a winner, they were unable to get past the hardworking New Zealand backline to see the match end with a hard-earned 2-2 draw.

Solomon Islands coach Felipe Vega-Arango Alonso had hoped for a home soil win but said his side showed their best out on the field today.

“Firstly I want to congratulate New Zealand for progressing and I hope they can get a spot in the World Cup and represent Oceania,” Vega-Arango Alonso said.

“For us, it was a good score because although we wanted to win when you’re two down against a professional side; 2-2 is like a win.

“I think we had a very good game, I think it would have been really unfair if we lose the game. But the tie is good for the boys, good for the federation and good for the country.”

Although the home side were impressive in front of home fans, Vega-Arango Alonso said it was more about proving to themselves that they were worthy.

“I think they did it for themselves. To prove to themselves that they can complete. And today they competed, and really well.

“When you’re 2-0 down in the first 20 minutes of the first half most teams go down and just give up. They never gave up, they kept fighting and had a lot of chances.”

With the Intercontinental Play-Off against the fifth-placed COMNEBOL side now looming in November, the work continues for Hudson and his team.

“What’s next is we have to make sure we prepare well in October,” he said.

“And we get all our best players back and we’re ready for November. Hopefully we can announce something soon.

“We’ve been following the COMNEBOL teams and this window is crucial because there’s three or four teams hovering around so we’re following the teams and we’re looking forward to it.”